1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to linear and angular displacement sensors and to variable resistors, and more particularly to linear and angular displacement sensors and variable resistors using giant magnetoresistance.
2. Description of the Related Art
Linear and angular displacement sensors are used in high-precision machining and measuring, for manufacturing and testing components with very tight dimensional tolerances. These devices are typically coupled to lathes, presses, robot arms, etc.
Typical displacement sensors operate by measuring the inductance of a metal bar passing through a solenoid coil. These sensors have several drawbacks. They have limited precision, are bulky, are not readily portable, are sensitive to vibrations, are expensive to fabricate, and use large amounts of power in operation.